How to Get Bright & Airy Detail Shots In Any Room

When you look at this shot above, I think it would be pretty easy to assume that it was shot in a nice, soft gorgeous dream of a getting ready room with velvet chairs, pastel paint, and a ton of perfectly white balanced natural light pouring in. While angels sang. :) In reality, the exact opposite couldn’t have been more true.

This shot was actually taken in the conditions below. On a pool table. In a cave of a room. With wood walls and mustard yellow paint. While super green light poured in the only window that was available. And it was HOT in there you guys. That has no bearing on the image of course, but I still feel like it’s worth mentioning. :) This is where we all get the chance to SHINE my friends! Anyone can get a gorgeous detail shot in a gorgeous room with gorgeous light. But it’s what we do in the challenges of life that make us who we are.

(PS: If flash is where you need the most help, be sure to click HERE to join us for a FREE live online class this week all about getting dialed in FAST!)

As you can see, we went with our trusty set up of a one light on one side and a reflector on the other And today, I wanted to give you Five Simple Tips You Need to Know About Flash to Get Soft, Bright & Airy Detail Shots in ANY Room!

1. The Larger the Light Source, the Softer the Light. We go into great detail explaining WHY this is true and how to make whatever light source you currently have FEEL bigger in our brand new upcoming J&M Lighting Course. But for now, just know that the softer you want your light to feel…the bigger you need to make that light.

2. If you want it to feel more airy, manage the contrast. That’s where that reflector comes into play on the left hand side.

3. If the ambient light isn’t working, cut it out. If that’s something you need help with, then you DEFINITELY don’t want to miss joining us at one of our FREE online classes this week, where we will be walking step by step how to do this by getting what we call the “Black Box”!! There is a combination of shutter speed, ISO and aperture that will allow you to eliminate the ambient (like the green light coming in from that window)completely and we are going to be telling you exactly how to do it. Click HERE to grab your spot in one of our remaining time slots!!

4. This is not the time to bounce flash. If we bounced flash in a room like this, it would just pick up the warmth of the wood or the mustard color of the walls. That’s why it’s SO important to have an OCF set up with you at all times.

5. Keep the light straight up and down. You’ll notice that we keep that soft box straight up and down rather than pointing it down at our details like a spotlight. We do this on purpose because it makes the soft box mimic a window, and that means the light falls off across the details the same way natural light would.

And there you go, 5 ways to get bright & airy detail shots no matter WHAT room you’re in!! ***If you are ready to learn how to rock your light in ANY situation, then be sure to join us at one of our FREE online classes this week called “Lighting on the Fly: How to Rock Your Flash FAST!!” You can grab your free seat by going HERE!

Because the truth is, there is no time like right now to get better at what we are all lucky enough to do! We’ll see you at the webinar!!!
M:)

This is a great post! I have not had a lighting class in quite a few years! While I do not do wedding photography, I do shoot my own product shots for my website. These tips are great for when I have no natural light in the studio. Thanks for sharing!

He takes my hand and we walk. Out into the uncertain, out into the unknown. But walking, always walking, in the direction of our dreams. I talk and he listens. Talk about nothing, talk about everything… Read more>